Saturday, the day following President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, over 1.3 million people around the world plan to take to the streets in a global women’s march. Organizers say that the march is meant to send a message to the new administration that women’s rights are human rights. The march is called the Women’s March on Washington and is occurring in 616 locations across the globe,including Bethel. KYUK spoke with demonstrators in Bethel as they prepared their signs for Saturday.
Transcript:
Beverly Hoffman: We’re marching for a number of things. We’re marching for women’s rights, and we’re marching for human rights.
Bethy Whalen: And reproductive rights, and health care rights, and disability rights.
Julie Carpenter: Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood, women, minorities.
Hubert Angaiak: I’m a person of color, so it’s important that if there’s any discrimination, whether it be against women or men, I’ll support those people.
Mary Pete: As an Alaska Native woman there are so many things and tribal work at the federal level that affect my family, the region, the community. How can I not be a marcher?
We're with Beverly Hoffman, Bethy Whalen, Julie Carpenter, Hubert Angaiak, and Mary Pete in the Bethel Cultural Center as they prepare, in a group of about 10, for the coming march. Butcher paper covers long lines of tables. On top stand buckets of black paint, pencils, and multi-colored markers. Quickly, letters begin appearing on neon pink, green, and orange poster boards.
[Stakes crash]
Beverly Hoffman drops an armload of wooden stakes on the ground. The tips are spray painted bright orange and stapled with reflectors.
KYUK: These are stakes for the K300?
Hoffman: These are stakes for the K300, and Myron generously let us borrow them in case they need them again. They’ll work perfect.
Myron Angstman is the chairman of the Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee. The mid-distance sled dog race is also happening this weekend.
Hoffman: If any dog mushers see us, they can follow us. But might not get them to the finish line.
KYUK: Can you do me a favor and just read off some of these signs?
Hoffman: Ikatak, Right to Choose, Do the Right Thing for All, We the People are the Government. Oh, I like this one, Kenkakun, Through Love.
The Bethel march is Saturday at noon. Marchers will meet at the Cultural Center and then walk to the Bethel Native Corporation building and back. Temperatures are forecast for 24 below. Anyone is welcome to be part of the march.
Whalen: Physically putting your body somewhere and showing other people that you care enough to get out of the house is important.
Carpenter: I think all these numbers eventually add up to making a statement.
Athanas: It’s a way of physically being in the place that allows you to voice your concern, and you’re not sitting in front of the TV yelling at it. You’re actually doing something about it.
Pete: This is not the end. We’re going to continue.
Preparing for Saturday's Women's March in Bethel, we heard Bethy Whalen, Julie Carpenter, Reyne Athanas, and Mary Pete.
